We've Come a Long Way, Baby
by MrsEads
Summary: [Snickers] When Sara's pregnant with Grissom's baby, who is there to help her out? One guess! Takes place after S6 finale, 'Way To Go'.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: Just another idea I got and had to write. Grissom is a bit OOC in this story, but I don't really care. It's my fic and I can do whatever I want with it. Teehee. Anyway, I promise this gets Snickery later on, and GSR is not here at all. Well, pretty much. Just read it. You'll know what I mean. Please review!

* * *

"You've _got_ to be kidding me," Sara said under her breath.

"No, I'm not kidding you, Miss Sidle. You're five weeks pregnant," said the tall brunette doctor.

"What am I going to do?" Sara asked nobody in particular.

"So I would assume that this is an unplanned pregnancy?" said Dr. Tessa Darden. Sara nodded silently with her head in her hands. "Are you considering an abortion?"

Sara was a bit offended. "No! Absolutely not! I'm having this baby. It's not its fault I made a stupid mistake."

"Would you like me to recommend you to a counsellor?" Tessa asked.

"No…I'll be fine, I think. We have a departmental psychologist at work if I really need to talk to somebody."

"Do you know who the father is?"

_Not that it's really any of your business_, Sara thought. "Oh, I have a pretty good idea," she said dryly, in a tone that implied very clearly that she knew exactly who the father was. _Grissom_.

Dr. Darden wrote a prescription for a prenatal vitamin for Sara and gave her a few basic instructions on what to do and what not to do, like drinking or using drugs.

Sara took the prescription and thanked her, left the office and got into her car. She sat in the seat for a few minutes, staring blankly at the steering wheel, before bursting into a fit of uncontrollable tears. After she had cried all the tears she had to cry, she quickly regained her composure and drove to work. She'd barely had time to schedule her appointment before work, but she just managed to squeeze it in.

Pulling up to the lab fifteen minutes later, she checked herself in the mirror before going in. _Crap_, she thought. _I look like a total mess_. Her eye makeup was running down her face, her hair was a mess, and her eyes were red and puffy. There was no mistaking that she'd been crying, and she knew everybody would notice. She made a sorry attempt at cleaning up her face with a napkin she had in the glove compartment, but her efforts were futile. Letting her hair down, she smoothed it out and put it back into a ponytail. Whatever. Let her coworkers think what they want. Sara's only concern now was how to tell Grissom that he'd fathered her baby.

Catherine was already in the locker room when Sara arrived, and motherly instincts (and just plain observation) kicked in. "What's the matter, Sara?"

_Oh, just that I'm pregnant with Grissom's baby_. "Nothing," she lied.

Catherine narrowed her eyes. "Come on Sara, what is it?"

"I really don't want to talk about it," Sara explained. "Maybe later."

To her utter shock, Catherine dropped the subject. "Meet you in the break room?"

"Sure. I'll be there in a few minutes."

As Sara came out of the locker room a couple of minutes later and headed for the break room, she passed Grissom's office, and he came out at the same time. "Grissom," she said. "We need to talk."

He looked up from a case file he'd been studying and raised an eyebrow. "Can it wait? I have to give out assignments."

_No, it can't wait. It's kind of urgent_. "Yeah, sure," she lied, and followed him into the break room.

"Alright, Nick and Sara, you've got a DB out in Henderson. Catherine, rape case off the Strip. Be careful with this one. The victim is understandably very hostile towards any cops, CSIs, press, anybody. Greg and Warrick, you're with me. We've got a triple homicide in Summerlin." He handed out the slips and everybody started to gather their coats. Apparently, Grissom forgot that Sara needed to speak to him, because he just picked up his kit and walked out. Sara glared after him, and Nick noticed.

"What's up with you and Grissom?" he asked.

"Nothing," she said quickly.

"Sara…" he warned and begged at the same time.

"_Nothing_," she emphasized.

"Fine," he said. His tone changed when he said brightly, "I'm driving."

"Whatever," she said bitterly. She was not in a good mood.

* * *

They arrived at the scene and saw a young teenage girl in a pool of her own blood. Nick's shoulders instantly fell. "Poor girl."

"She can't be more than fifteen," Sara said sadly. "Is she…pregnant?" she asked, noticing the small bump at the girl's stomach.

"I don't know…could be. We'll have to have the coroner confirm."

Sara almost broke down. This was why she couldn't tell Grissom that she was pregnant. Nick noticed a small tear escape Sara's eye.

"Sara?" he asked gently.

"It's nothing," she said quickly and tried to wipe the tear away from her eye.

"What is it? You can tell me, you know," he assured, reaching out and taking her hand in his. "I'm a good listener. I've even been known to keep a secret or two."

"You won't tell anybody?" she confirmed after a few silent moments.

"Nope."

Sara glanced around to make sure nobody was within earshot. "Promise?" she said. She had been about to tell him, but chickened out and made him promise one more time.

"I promise," he said honestly.

She took a deep breath and said timidly, "I'm pregnant."

Nick was shocked. "_Pregnant_?"

"Yes," she said quickly. "Can we just get back to work?" she said in a desperate effort to change the subject. The look in his eyes hurt her more than anything else ever had. He looked…betrayed, almost. She didn't really understand why he would feel betrayed. It's not like she'd been cheating on him or anything. Was it? They were just friends, weren't they?

"Do you know who the father is?" he asked gently.

"Of course I know who the father is!" she snapped.

"Sorry," he apologized.

Sara closed her eyes. "I'm sorry. You didn't deserve that."

"It's okay. Have you told the father yet?"

"Not yet." She was glad that he wasn't pressing her for a name.

"Is he going to want the baby?"

"I don't know," she said sadly.

"How far along are you?" he asked.

"About five weeks," she answered. "I just found out today."

He pulled her into a hug and rubbed her back softly. Sara just about melted in his strong arms. He cared so much about her, and Sara found herself wishing that he were the father. She didn't really have any of those feelings for him, but if she could've picked a father for her child, it would've been him. He was good with kids. And adults. And seniors. And teenagers. Not to mention, he was devastatingly handsome and any of his kids would get awesome genes. He was the best logical choice for a father. So why had she slept with Grissom? He wouldn't be a good father. And, well, hello, the whole point of sleeping with someone was technically to make a baby.

"Look, if there's anything I can do to help, just let me know, okay? Strange midnight cravings, foot rubs, girl talk, when you need something to punch, anything. Okay?"

She laughed shallowly. "Deal."

"Who _is_ the father?" he pressed, but gently. Sara looked away for a minute. "I'm sorry," he quickly apologized. "You don't have to tell me."

"It's Grissom," she said quietly after a moment.

"_Grissom_?" he asked in disbelief.

She nodded, embarrassed. To her surprise, he pulled her back into his arms and hugged her even tighter than before. "If there's anything I can do, anything at all…"

"Thanks," she said. She meant it, too.

He hugged her warmly for a few more minutes, rubbing her back gently and eventually let her go so that they could get back to work.

Tomorrow, Sara would tell Grissom.

* * *

"Grissom?" Sara asked from the doorframe of his office.

"Yes, Sara? Oh, that's right, you wanted to talk to me about something? Sorry, I forgot. What's up?"

She entered the room and closed the door behind her. Awkwardly, while still standing up, she wrung her hands and said, "I have something to tell you, and it's personal."

"Sit down," he said. "Personal? Personal for you or for me?"

"Both," Sara said nervously as she sat down in a chair at his desk.

Grissom raised a curious eyebrow.

"There's no easy way for me to say this, so I'm just going to come right out with it," Sara said, and prepared herself. Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes, she said, "I'm pregnant."

Grissom stared blankly at her for a minute, not saying anything. Finally, he managed to croak, "Is it mine?"

_Yes, you dolt. That's why I said it was personal for both of us_. "Yes."

Grissom leaned back in his chair and shook his head. "No. It can't be mine," he said. "That's impossible."

"Grissom, I know how far along I am, and there's no way it could be anybody else's. I'm pregnant with your baby."

"It couldn't be," Grissom denied. "There's just no possible way."

"Grissom! It's yours! I'm absolutely sure of it!" She was yelling by now. Nick, who was walking by, heard the commotion and, against his better judgement, stopped to listen through the closed door. She'd obviously just told him she was pregnant, and from the sound of things, he wasn't taking it well.

They continued to argue. Sara started to go into great detail about how she'd missed a period, and went into the doctor's office, and how he was the only one who could be the father within the time frame. Despite the overwhelming evidence before him, he continued to deny it.

"Look, Sara. I'm your boss. We shouldn't have had that relationship…er, lapse in judgement."

"You think that that was a mistake?" she asked angrily. "You were right there with me, one hundred percent! Don't make this my fault!"

"If this gets out, I'm ruined. My career is toast. I slept with a subordinate, Sara. I could lose my job."

"Oh, so _now_ you want to play politics? Whatever. I am going to have this baby and you are going to support it," she said angrily. "Besides, somebody's already offered to help me. I don't need you," Sara spat.

"If you have somebody else to help you, then you're right. You don't need me. This conversation is over," Grissom said.

Sara was steaming by now. She glared at him for what seemed like an eternity, but finally got up from the chair. Angrily she stormed out of the room. Nick didn't have time to run away before she flung the door open. "Nick! What are you doing here?"

He was caught. There was no denying it. Nick decided the only thing he could do was tell the truth. "I was listening," he said in shame. "I'm sorry. I heard yelling, and…"

She hung her head. "It doesn't matter. Everyone in the lab heard that. You just got a front-row seat, that's all."

He felt bad for her, and was relieved and shocked beyond belief that she hadn't slaughtered him. "Come on, I'll take you out for breakfast," he said, tugging at her hand.

She smiled at him weakly. "Thanks."

She would fix all of this later. Right now, she was going out for breakfast with what seemed like the only man who cared about her right now.

* * *

Author's Note: Okay, so review and let me know what you think. This is one story I'm _extremely_ open to suggestion on, so let me know what you want to see happen! 


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: Never in a million years did I expect to get so much of a response to this story! Thank you all so much, and you've made me a total review junkie, which means you have to keep it up! Bwahaha! Anyway, here are my replies to my anonymous reviewers:

To **MollyMKS**: There will be a bit more drama, but I'm not too sure about the angst yet. Maybe drama with a hint of angst. Thanks for reviewing!

To **heartagram**: I want it to be Nick's baby too, but then the storyline would be considerably different. I think I can make this work, so just stick around and let's see. Thanks for reviewing!

To **Jennie**: I like Grissom too, I just like Nick better. And I think that Nick would be a better support system than Grissom anyway. Thanks for reviewing!

To **Angela**: Well, I said that he would be a bit out of character, but I understand where you're coming from. I'll try to be nicer about Grissom. Thanks for your input!

To **Cheryl**: Haha. Thanks for reviewing!

To **jd**: Thank you so much! I'm very glad you like it. Thank you for reviewing!

* * *

"I just don't know what to do about this," Sara finished after telling the whole story to Nick.

He looked at her as he took the last bite of his scrambled eggs. "So, you're having the baby, right?"

She gave a small nod. "Yeah. I don't know how I'm going to manage to raise him or her by myself though."

"Well, Catherine's done it. Look how Lindsey turned out."

"Yeah, hitchhiking to Fremont Street," she snorted.

"Yeah," he laughed. "I'm not really proving my point." He changed his tone and placed his hand over hers. "I promise you one thing. No matter what happens with you and Grissom, or this baby, I will _always_ be your friend. Okay?"

She blinked back tears that telling the story to Nick had evoked. Now his genuine care and concern was making her want to cry. He was so sweet. Why couldn't he have fathered her baby?

_Stop it, Sara_, she commanded herself. _Nothing like that is ever going to happen. You've screwed it up too badly now with this baby. Besides, you guys are just friends._

"Like I said earlier, I'll help you with anything you need. And not just while you're pregnant. I can help you out with the actual kid. Anything you need. If you really want, I'll even babysit every once in a while."

"Thanks," she said quietly. "Can I be honest with you?" she asked.

"Sure," he said.

"I'm scared."

He smiled a bit at her comment. "I'm pretty sure that's normal, hon-…Sara."

_Was he about to call me 'honey'? No…definitely not._ She found herself wishing again that he was the baby's father. Quickly pushing those thoughts away, she tried to concentrate on the fact that Nick's cheeks were turning red. _He's cute when he's embarrassed. Maybe he _was_ about to call me 'honey'…_

"Want to get out of here?" Nick asked, nodding his head toward their empty plates.

"Yeah," Sara said. "I have to go to the drugstore and get a prescription filled, though. Prenatal vitamins. Will you come with me?"

"Yeah, of course."

Nick called the waiter over and Sara laughed as he insisted that he foot the bill. After all, he only went Dutch if girls asked the wrong question. But that would make this…a date, wouldn't it? _No, Sara, it's not a date_, she scolded herself. _He just took you out for breakfast, that's all! Stop it!_

They got into Nick's Denali, which they had taken from the lab to the diner. As Nick drove them to the drugstore, Sara couldn't help but think how right the whole scenario was. They were driving somewhere together, Sara was pregnant, they'd just gone out for breakfast. It was so perfect. She caught a glimpse of their reflection in the window of the drugstore and noticed how much they looked like a couple. Nick even held the door open for her.

They approached the pharmacy counter, where a very angry-looking old woman stood behind the register. As Sara timidly handed her the prescription slip, she peered at it down her long nose and looked up to eye her suspiciously. Nick sensed that the pharmacist didn't believe that they were married, and against his better judgement, he wrapped one arm around Sara's shoulder and kissed the side of her head. Sara didn't look uncomfortable with it to him, so he didn't remove his arm. The angry pharmacist handed the prescription to an assistant in the back and told Sara and Nick that it would be ready for pickup in an hour and a half.

As the pair exited the drugstore and got into the Denali, Nick cleared his throat. "I'm sorry if I did anything in there that made you feel awkward."

_Are you kidding me?_ Sara's brain screamed. _Do it more often!_ "No, that's fine. Thanks, actually. She was kind of freaking me out. She seemed like one of those people who believe in _married_ parents. I don't know…she just kind of made me feel weird."

"I could tell. I just didn't want you to feel judged by her, that's all."

"Thanks a lot," she said honestly. "Well, we have an hour and a half to kill before the prescription is ready. Do you want to go…do something, maybe?"

"What did you have in mind?"

"I don't know…a movie?"

"Sounds good to me. What do you want to see?"

"I was thinking that _M:I III_ looked good," Sara said, and laughed when he wrinkled his nose. "What, you don't like the _Mission: Impossible_ movies?"

"No, I just don't like Tom Cruise," he explained.

"Warrick told me you picked up a hooker or something over the phone by saying you had a Tom Cruise thing going on, though."

He evaded the question disguised as a statement. "I was not 'picking her up'. I was working a case."

"Right…" Sara teased.

"Really!" he insisted.

"Fine, whatever you say," she said. "What would you rather see?"

"Want to go see a chick flick?"

Sara gave him a surprised look. "Are you serious? Wow, Nick, I never figured you for a chick flick man. Besides, there aren't really any good ones in theatres right now."

"We could rent one and go back to my place," Nick suggested. The words were out of his mouth before he realized how they sounded. When he saw the surprise on Sara's face, he said, "I mean – "

Sara cut him off. "No, that's okay. I know what you mean, and it sounds good."

Turning the key in the ignition, he tried his best to hide the smile that was spreading across his face. He pulled out of the parking lot and drove the few blocks it was to the video store. They perused the aisles until Sara found the chick flicks and called Nick over to them. "How about this one?" she suggested, holding up _Just Friends_.

He shook his head. "No, I've seen that. It's not very good. We could get _13 Going on 30_."

"Nick, be careful. I could do plenty at the lab with the information you're giving me here. And no, I don't really like _13 Going on 30_. I'd rather _How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days_. Oh, wait…" a mischievous grin spread across her face as she reached over a shelf, holding up a DVD with a very, _very_ pink cover.

"No way," he said, smiling. "_No_ way. That thing is a pink monstrosity!"

"I know, right?" Sara said in a mock ditzy tone. "Come on, _please_?" She gave her best puppy dog look.

"Fine," he sighed. "But then we're getting a shoot-'em-up video too. Or at least something with _some_ action."

"Fair enough," she said.

They headed over to the action section, and Nick quickly decided which one he wanted. Sara smirked when she saw the title. "You want to get _Men In Black_?"

"Hey, I love this movie. You're getting that…_thing_, I can get my own movie too." He said the word 'thing' and gestured towards the DVD she was carrying as though it needed to be disposed of.

After carrying their selections to the counter and paying, they went outside and got back into the Denali. Nick started the engine and pulled out of the parking lot, beginning the short drive back to his house.

* * *

Author's Note: Haha, Sheila, one guess as to what movie it is. _One_. Anyway, this little scene shall be continued next chapter, including me revealing what movie Sara chose. By the way, I love reviews! 


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: Never before have I received such a mixed bag of reviews! Apparently, some of you really hate this story. It's not that I don't like receiving bad reviews (I mean, I'd really rather not, but I'll take a bad review over none at all), it's that I don't understand why you guys would stick around for a story you hate. Well, to be blunt, all I have to say to that is: Thanks for your input, and that little "X" in the top right-hand corner of your screen is the door. Have a nice day.

Okay. Moving on. Anyway, thanks to everybody who left reviews! I must say, after said mixed bag, I have definitely decided that I like good reviews over bad ones (but who wouldn't?). Several of you correctly guessed the movie that Sara got. Good job to those who guessed right, and for everybody else, that's to be revealed this chapter. (Wow, I make it sound like it's a major cliffie or something. Haha.) A special thanks to **nickysbabygirl** for giving me a kick in the pants to keep writing, and to **bauerfreak **for pulling me out of my Writer's Block rut that I've been stuck in for a while. And now for my replies to my anonymous reviewers:

To **heartagram**: I understand where you're coming from, and I will deal with that later. I really don't know how I'm going to make this story work for everybody. Apparently I can't do anything right to some people (I don't mean just you, I mean pretty much everybody who left bad reviews – that doesn't include you). Oh well. I probably should've thought this out a little better before I wrote it. Hmmm. Anyhoo, thanks a ton for reviewing!

To **Allie**: Thank you so much for reviewing! I am doing my best to turn GSR into Snickers. I'm not going to lie though, it's hard. I can't please everybody, and those whom I can't please are really speaking up…

To **jd**: Yeah, your movie guess was right! Good job! Nick could kiss me and get away with it anytime, haha. Thanks for reviewing!

To **Jayme Beth**: Hey girl! I totally agree with your "suggestion". Thanks for a nice review!

To **svcmc**: Alrighty, then. I'm not making you read the story. But, for the record, Grissom is not entirely out of the picture yet. I still have a few more appearances for him up my sleeve. One part of your review did bother me, though. Please don't attack me personally. Yes, I am a bit of a 'disappointed Snicker', but I actually had this idea before the finale. AND, as I stated previously, I am willing to see where the writers take this. I'd ask you in the future to post your comments about the story online but keep your comments about me to yourself. By the way, it's not proper to use all capitals.

To **CSI-wanna-be23**: I actually haven't seen _How To Lose a Guy In 10 Days_, but I've heard it's pretty good. _13 Going On 30_ rocks too. So does Snickers! Yay! Thanks for reviewing!

Whew. Okay. Now that that's over with, on with the story!

* * *

Nick unlocked his front door and the pair entered his house. "Home sweet home," he said. "You've never been here before, have you?" She shook her head. He gestured towards the long hallway and pointed towards various rooms. "Bathroom, guest room, laundry room, bedroom," he said. _Crap!_ he thought. _Why did I tell her about the bedroom? Now she probably just thinks I'm horny._ Trying to keep his cool, he pointed to their left. "Kitchen." And to his right. "Living room. That's the grand tour." Then, he gestured towards the couch. "Have a seat."

She obeyed. "Which one are we watching first?" Sara said, holding up the two DVDs.

"I'm sure you want to watch that pink nightmare first," Nick sighed. "Hand it over," he said as though it was the last thing he wanted to be doing, although he really didn't mind all that much.

She handed him the DVD and he popped (Author's Note: drum roll, please!) _Legally Blonde_ into the player. Sara was not a girly-girl in the least, but some things were timeless, and _Legally Blonde_ was one of them. It was one of those movies that Sara loved watching and squealing at, though she rarely squealed at anything. When she watched this movie, she loved acting like a teenage bimbo. It was just plain fun.

Nick started the movie, and the sounds of the song _Perfect Day_ filled the room. Nick sat down on the small couch, very close beside Sara. After all, the only couch he had was a loveseat, and, well, it was built for two. They started watching the movie, and Nick thought it was the funniest thing when Elle taught Paulette the "bend and snap". Sara's personal favourite part was when Elle was waiting outside the courtroom, and the Enrique, the pool boy, cut in front of her in line for the water fountain. "Don't tap your little last-season Prada shoes at me, missy," she quoted along with the movie. She looked over at Nick as he rolled his eyes. They continued to watch the movie until it was over, and Nick let out a sigh.

"What?" Sara asked.

"I'm so glad that's over," he said, even though it wasn't really true. He didn't mind watching chick flicks all that much, so long as he liked the chick he was watching the flick with. And, well, he liked Sara.

"Admit it, Nick, you liked it."

A smile snuck across his face and that was enough of an answer for Sara. Satisfied, she leaned back into the couch and Nick stood up to change the movie. "Out with the pink, in with the aliens," he said as he replaced the DVD. Coming back to the couch, he stopped before he sat down. "Do you want something to eat? I have some popcorn, and I might have a bag of chips lying around somewhere," he offered.

Sara shrugged. "Sure," she said.

Nick walked over to his kitchen and rummaged through a cabinet. "Here it is," he said, triumphantly holding up a package of popcorn. "Regular butter okay with you?"

"Yeah, that's fine," she said. He unwrapped the cellophane and popped the popcorn into the microwave. Sara heard the digital beep and the familiar whir of the machine that she had come to know all-too-well through her many single dining at home days. "Can I start it?" she asked, the remote poised for action.

"Yeah, sure," he said, and Sara pushed the play button. A few minutes after the movie began to play, the popcorn finished, and Nick dumped it into a bowl and brought it over. As the chase scene commenced, Nick found himself being absorbed into one of his favourite movies. He laughed at the funny parts as he popped a few kernels into his mouth.

They were both so absorbed in the action that both were startled when Nick's hand accidentally rested on Sara's in the bowl. Both pulled back and tried to make nothing of it. Sara couldn't help but think how pleasant it was to have his hand on hers, even for that brief moment. _Stop it, Sara. He's off-limits. He's just helping out, that's all. You're just watching a movie,_ she reminded herself. Yet, against her own free will, she found her hand drifting back down, to between them on the couch, and as though they each had giant magnets attached to their hands, Nick lightly brushed Sara's hand with his. Both were timid at first, but they were also both trying to hide it. Finally, after working up the nerve, Nick moved his hand from beside hers onto the top. Sara felt the same electric shock pass through her whole body as the sensation of his hand with hers moved from a tentative touch to a conscious action on both their parts. Her fingers hooked around his and they fit perfectly together, even though the pair was trying to pretend it wasn't happening. Nick's thumb caressed the top of her hand subconsciously as Sara glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, only to find that he was doing the same. The movie slipped into the background as they became each other's sole focus.

Nick blurted out after a few moments of unbearable silence, "I love you, Sara. I always have. I don't think I can go any longer without telling you that." And with that, he got up off the couch and walked towards his bedroom, shutting the door behind him.

Sara sat there, stunned. Had he just said what she thought he said? And did he really run away afterwards? She tried to absorb what had just happened, but found herself unable to. She was distracted by the ringing of her cell phone and almost smashed it into the coffee table when she looked at the caller ID. _Great,_ she thought. _A call from Grissom. That's just what I need_. She opened the phone and sighed, "Sidle."

* * *

Meanwhile, Nick sat on his bed with his head in his hands. _Did I really just do that?_ he agonized for what felt like an eternity. Then he realized that he'd just left the poor girl hanging. Working up the nerve, he finally left his room and timidly came out into the living room.

Sara was nowhere to be found.

* * *

She sat in her car (they'd gone back to the lab and picked up Sara's car after they'd gone to the video store) and stared at the staring wheel. Her mind was both blank and buzzing. She wasn't really sure what had just happened with Nick, and the call from Grissom was the last straw. She needed to be alone right now, but she didn't want to leave Nick. Something was keeping her there that she couldn't explain. Was it because she really loved him too? She tried to push the thought from her mind, but found that the only thought readily available to take its place was what she and Grissom had talked about on the phone.

He'd apologized for what he'd said, and told her that he had freaked out. He knew that she must be right if she said he was the father, and now he was ready to take on his responsibilities. _Well…his _financial_ responsibilities,_ Sara repeated to herself. He still wanted nothing to do with the baby, but at least he was smart enough to figure out that he wasn't getting off scot-free with this one. _Oh well,_ Sara thought. _Even Nick wants to be more a father to this baby than Grissom does. In one day, he's shown me more love than Grissom has in six years._

Sara put her key in the ignition and started the car. Nick, hearing the noise, realized she was leaving and that he'd better get his butt out there and explain himself or he could lose her forever.

He tore out of the house and caught her just as she was backing out of the driveway. "Sara!" he called. Not quite sure what to think, she stopped the car and rolled down her window. He ran into the car and stood with one hand on his hip and the other on top of the car, near her window. "Look, I'm sorry. I really don't know what happened there."

"Me neither," Sara said, still wanting him to say more. She raised an eyebrow expectantly, and Nick tried to formulate the words in his head.

"I really have loved you for a long time. I think it just took me a long time to figure out that I did, and by the time I figured it out, you were sort of 'off limits' because of Grissom."

"I've never been Grissom's," Sara said. "Even now, I'm not Grissom's."

"I can see that now," Nick said, "but I couldn't before. I just want you to know that even if you never feel the same way about me that I do you, I will _always_ be here for you and I will _always_ be your friend."

"You said that this morning at breakfast," Sara said. She felt the tears welling up in her eyes and prayed that he couldn't see them.

"I know."

Sara felt a tear spill down her cheek and in shame tried to cover it up, wiping it away with her hand. "Damn hormones," she said.

"I don't think it's just hormones," Nick said. "It's okay to have feelings, you know." And with that, he turned and walked back into his house.

Sara closed her eyes and slumped back into her seat. She had a lot to think about.

* * *

Author's Note: Please let me know what you think. I'm sorry it took so long to update. It's finals season for me and I have been really busy studying and the like. Only one more week of school, and thenI'm free to write all summer! Please review! 


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: You know what? I love you all. Your reviews made me feel so good (no bad ones this time!). I think this chapter should be dedicated to all of you, so, in no particular order (actually, it's just the order in which you reviewed), this one's for **fille mauvais**,** NickGilGreggonumber1fan**,** bauerfreak**,** Grace124**,** Transgenic-girl**,** BeTrAyEd DaUgHtErS **(wow, that was hard to type), **KittyDoggyLover**,** jd**,** nickysbabygirl**,** 6friends6**,** Tina**,** Opal Ocean**,** CSI-wanna-be23**,** Little Tussi**,** csicrazii**,** Your Spell-Binding Lover**, **Jayme Beth**, **Amanda**, **Nikky's Girl**, **forgivenunderoath**, **MollyMKS**, **Space-Case7029**, **simone**, **Trinitystargazer3**, and **sportnitz**. A million thank yous to you all!

To **jd**: I'm very glad that you liked it. Yes, they watched _Men In Black_. I know I said in Chapter Two that they got it, but I'm not sure if I did in Chapter Three. Anyway, yes, they did. Soon, Nick will work up the courage to tell her properly…but you'll just have to wait and see! Thanks for reviewing!

To **Tina**: Haha, I know I'm evil. But it's so much fun, truly. Thanks for the review!

To **Opal Ocean**: I know, Grissom is really OOC, but I agree with you. I don't think you can ever know how someone's going to react until you put them in that situation. And yes, _Long Live Snickers_! Thanks for reviewing!

To **CSI-wanna-be23**: I'll do my best to update this and my other stories as soon and as frequently as I can. Lately my life has been a little hectic and I haven't really had any time to just sit down and write. Anyhoo, thanks for reviewing! (And I quote _The Princess Bride_ – I can actually quote every single line, with or without the movie actually going…cough)

To **Your Spell-Binding Lover**: No, it was like a month and a half :P _YOU'RE _gay! I think I shall have to use that joke later in my story. What do you think? Muahaha. The second movie was _MIB_. Probably one of the best movies ever. Will Smith rocks. But not as much as George. Thanks for reviewing!

To **Amanda**: I have written a few others (eight to be precise). If you're going to go read them, don't waste your time on _Head Over High Heels_ or _Venus Fly Traps and Chalk Dust_. They are both quite dumb. Anyway, I'm really glad you like this story, and thank you for reviewing!

To **MollyMKS**: No worries. I'm glad you still reviewed! I hope you had a nice vacation. Thanks very much for your review!

To **simone**: Thank you thank you!

_**SPOILER WARNING – 'NESTING DOLLS'**_

* * *

At home, Sara sat on the couch. _What I wouldn't give for a good stiff drink_, she thought. But she wasn't about to let her little craving jeopardize the baby's health. 

She milled over in her mind what Nick had said. Did he really think she was a robot incapable of emotion? _I'm not a robot. I just don't like having people see me cry and stuff. I know it's okay to have feelings, and I _do_ have them, I just would rather that other people don't see that_, she explained to herself. _I have to prove to him that I have feelings and that I know it's okay to have feelings._ She didn't really know why, but she resolved herself to let herself show her emotions to Nick, and maybe eventually other people. What did that mean, though? It meant that she cared enough about Nick to change for him, didn't it? As she thought more and more about Nick himself instead of just what he'd said, the more she realized that she didn't just care about him. It was something more than that. Sara was hesitant to call it _love_, but there was definitely something more between them than friendship.

* * *

Nick was mad at himself. 

Although what he'd said wasn't meant to be filled with anger, it had come across that way, and now he thought he'd messed it up with Sara. That thought was disconcerting to him because he really liked what they had there for a minute. And as much as he liked that, he also valued their friendship and now he was worried that he'd screwed it up.

Nick had made up his mind. He had to go over and apologize to her, maybe explain himself a little more.

He got into his Denali and started it up, as he began to formulate the words in his mind.

* * *

Sara heard a knock at her door. _Probably Grissom_, she thought to herself disdainfully. She pulled herself off the couch and looked through the peephole. She was surprised to see Nick standing there. _Should I let him in? _she wondered. _I don't really know what to say, but he wouldn't be here unless he had something important to say_. After a brief debate with herself, she slid the chain off and opened the door. 

"Sara," Nick said, but offered no more than that.

After a minute, Sara deadpanned, "You're surprised?"

"No, no, it's not that…never mind. I came over her because I have to tell you something. Can I come in?"

She sighed, "Sure," and moved to the side to allow him entry, closing the door behind him.

"Look, what I said earlier…it came out wrong. I didn't mean that you don't have feelings, what I meant was that it's okay for you to show your feelings," he tried to explain.

Sara had suspected that's what he meant, and now her thoughts were confirmed. After a minute, she said timidly, "I can't show my feelings."

"Why not?" Nick asked, undemandingly.

"It's a long story," Sara said, unwilling to tell him about her past. Only Grissom knew about that, and that was one more person than she wanted to know.

"I've got time," Nick said, "unless, of course, you want me to leave."

"No, no, stay," Sara implored. She sighed. "I'll tell you. But I have to warn you, this will be hard for me. I only ever told one person before."

Nick made himself comfortable on the couch, and Sara sat down in the big overstuffed armchair next to it, hugging her knees to her chest and taking a deep breath.

"When I was growing up," she started, " there were three unwritten rules in my house. Rule Number One: Don't talk. Rule Number Two: Don't trust. Rule Number Three: Don't feel. My father…well, he was fine up until I was about six. You know, he was a typical dad, we did typical things, I got into typical trouble, and he dealt with it typically. But when I turned six, his punishment started changing. Before, he'd just give me a time-out, or take away a toy for a week or something like that. But eventually he started to spank me, and sometimes even hit me. At first, it was just as a punishment. I learned to deal with it. But soon, he started to find fault in just about everything I did, and punish me for all of it. Even the little things, like missing a dish when I was supposed to load the dishwasher, or leaving my shoes out when I got home from school. I was beaten nearly every day by the time I was eight. My mother…" Sara stopped for a minute, and her eyes brightened briefly as if a sad but pleasant memory had crossed her mind. "Mom was never like that. She tried to keep my dad away from my brother and me, but she usually ended up getting beaten too. She was always afraid to leave him. She thought he'd come after us and kill us all. All my mom ever wanted to do was protect us." Sara had to stop for a minute to wipe a tear from her eye.

Nick said nothing, not wanting to interrupt her or discourage her from going on. Once she had regained her composure, she continued. "When I was eleven…I remember. I'd just gotten home from school. Dad came after me the moment I walked in the door, yelling something about my bed not being made that day. Mom stepped in front of him and tried to keep him off me. Then he hit her on the face, and then a few punches, more and more aggressively, and I could tell that this one was worse than the rest. I can remember it all: the shouting, the sound of him punching her, her screams…and worst of all, the awful feeling of being rooted to the spot and not being able to do anything." Sara had long ago stopped trying to wipe her tears away. They were falling freely now, and for the first time in her life, she didn't care that somebody else was seeing her cry. "We were in the kitchen. The back door led right into it, and that's the way I came in from school. There was a big knife on the counter, and my dad was forcing Mom towards it. She grabbed it off the counter and just slashed. One stroke; that was it. Right across his neck, and he just dropped to the floor. There was arterial spray everywhere. It was the first time in my life I'd ever seen so much blood. He was dead right away, I know it. But my mom…she's the one who called 911, not me, not my brother. You see, she didn't mean to kill him. She wanted to get him away from her. I could tell that if she hadn't done that, he would have beaten her to death, and he would've come after me next. And then she didn't want him to be dead. She wanted the paramedics to come and save his life. Then the ambulance came, and so did the police." Quietly, Sara finished with, "Mom was taken away in handcuffs."

She didn't sound like she was going to go on, so Nick spoke up. "Why didn't she just claim self-defence?" he asked.

"She tried," Sara said. "But I was the only eyewitness, and nobody's going to believe an eleven-year-old girl. It was so obviously self-defence, though. It was only one stroke, and he was beating her. The prosecutor said that I would say whatever it took in order to keep my mother out of prison, and that you don't know for sure that he would have killed her, and that maybe he would have stopped, and… maybe, maybe, maybe. That's all I remember about the trial. 'Maybe'." She spat the word out. "Mom's been in prison ever since. For a murder that wasn't a murder."

Nick's heart had long since melted, and he reached out a hand to cover hers. "Oh, Sara…I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry," she said. "It's not your fault."

"It's not yours either, Sara."

* * *

Author's Note: Whew. That took a long time to come up with, and not very much even happened. Personally, I'm quite proud of that recounting of Sara's father's murder. It's my favourite that I've written. (I mean, I've only written two, including this one, but I still like it better than the other one.) I love reviews! 


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